[Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint and was published online February 14, 2008]
I’m continuing the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s answer from pages 425-427 of “Closing The Gap.”
“Then whispering that come(s) from men. Men, to me, meaning, more mature people. Mature in the word of God. Mature in the way of God. But the arch deceiver has affected them. As the Bible teaches that, ‘The dragon will take down a third part of the stars of heaven.’ The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, ‘This is not just talking about scholars of Islam, but some of the Holy wise Scientists themselves.’
“If a Scientist goes down and he starts whispering into the hearts of Believers that are on the path of faith–that’s a heavy, heavy, trial for us. So hold fast to that handle as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught, that will never break off from us unless we break off from it. The Holy Qur’an says, ‘Hold fast to the rope of Islam and be not disunited.’
“Well under a trial like the ones in the 113th and 114th Surahs, it would be hard to remain united with that which becomes a victim of the darkness of the evil suggestions of the hatred; of the murder plots of the whispering. So Allah says in the Qur’an:
“ ‘He will separate us and put like with like.’ So under such darkness the hypocrites will be with the hypocrites. The disbelievers will be with the disbelievers. And through the darkness the Believers carrying his light with him will find another Believer and remain united with those who persevere and are steadfast under such a tremendous trial.
“The Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave us a prayer to say. It is a prayer of refuge. This prayer of refuge, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad asked us to say it seven times a day. ‘I seek refuge in Allah from anxiety and grief, from the lack of strength and laziness, from cowardice and niggardliness. From being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men.’
“The supplicant asks, ‘Suffice thou me with what is lawful and keep me away from what is prohibited. And with your grace make me free from want of what is beside you.’
“If we acted on this prayer, and the things that this prayer is asking Allah to give us refuge from, this ties to the last two chapters of refuge. Because when the darkness comes and so many fall, we would be full of anxiety. We may lose cherished possessions and people whom we love which bring about grief.
“In that hour we seek refuge from anxiety and grief. And then, the loss of strength, which is attacking our faith, for the scripture says, ‘The race is not to the swift, or the strong, but to that one who can endure to the end.’ That is great faith. Great strength.
“When you seek refuge in Allah from the lack of strength and then the lack of strength makes one lazy in the performance of duty. Because even though we’re going through a dark period that does not absolve us from requisite duty; duty to God; duty to self; duty to wife; duty to children; duty to community and duty to nation. So when you lose strength then you become lazy in the performance of duty.
“Then, of course, you seek refuge from niggardliness, miserliness, not willing to share what we know or what we have with a fellow-suffering Believer.
In that hour famine may arise in the land. If the Believer has a bowl of soup and brother Believer has none, then a brother Believer has a claim on half of that bowl. But, if we’re niggardly or miserly, and want to hoard and hold, then we are doubting that Allah would be sufficient for us.
“We seek refuge from anxiety and grief and from the lack of strength and laziness and from cowardice and niggardliness. Niggardliness is cowardice because it shows fear that the God will not suffice me tomorrow, as He sufficed me today. So I should be niggardly with my substance today in fear that I won’t have something tomorrow.
“Cowardice in the hour of trial would cause us to fall. So we must seek refuge in Allah and challenge what we fear. Allah says, ‘Surely I will try you with something of fear, hunger, lost of property; lost of life, diminution of fruit. So give good news to those who are patient and steadfast under trial because they seek refuge in Allah, the Lord of the dawn; the Lord of men; the King of men and the God of men.’
“Then, ‘I seek refuge from being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men.’ Debt is a form of slavery and oppression. So in a dark hour you don’t want to get into debt, you want to strive to get out of debt because by means of debt you’ll be oppressed–‘I’ll take your car.’ ‘I’ll take your home.’ ‘I’ll take whatever you owe because you don’t have money to pay your note then you lose it.’
“Well, seek refuge in Allah.
“Lastly, ‘Suffice thou me with what is lawful’ in a season of great temptation when evil is made fair seeming. Please, Allah, suffice me. Be sufficient for me in what is lawful in your sight and make me free from any want of what is beside what you want for me and for us.
“If we can do that, more than likely, we will survive the darkness into the dawn of a brand new day.”
***
This bears directly on the above. On April 18, 1987 Minister Farrakhan opened a talk, in Phoenix Arizona with the following words.
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| Closing The Gap by Jabril Muhammad Inner Views of the Heart, Mind & Sprit of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan |
“In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I Bear Witness There Is No God But Allah, And I Bear Witness That Muhammad Is His Messenger.
“My beloved Brothers and Sisters, once again it is my great pleasure to have this opportunity to speak with you on the basis of the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
“Today is a very important day in the Christian world. For this day that is called Easter revolves around the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ which represents a victory.
“Not only a victory over physical death, but a victory over all the impediments that keeps man from oneness with God. This important day in the life of Christians is also important in the life of a Muslim, only from a different perspective. There is no Muslim who does not believe in the resurrection of the dead.
“In fact, all Muslims traditionally believe that they will see the return of Jesus. And of all of the men of God that have ever lived and worked on behalf of the righteousness of God among the people.
“Of all of these men, the Muslims only believe that one man will return. And that man, of course, is Jesus. So there is a similarity between the belief of the Muslims and the belief of the Christians. But today, by the help of almighty God if you are willing to reason we want to hopefully clarify our–what I would call–immature understanding of one of the most profound events in religious history.”
More next issue, Allah willing.
